How to sell your old Amazon Echo devices

If you own an Amazon Echo device, then you know the benefits that come from having one of these smart devices in your home. Good quality speakers, displays, and an excellent voice assistant make Alexa-equipped devices some of the best smart home products around. Ultimately these devices go out of date, but you don’t have to just send them to be recycled. They can help you afford an upgrade, or something else entirely.

If you want to sell your Amazon Echo or other Echo devices , you should know a few things, like how to wipe your device and how much money you can expect. Our guide has the answers to these questions and more, so you can sell an Amazon Echo device as smoothly as possible.

Prepare and wipe your device

Unlike a computer, an Echo device doesn’t store a lot of permanent data or profile information on its hard drive. However, it does keep some records of your preferences, voice information, and so on — things you definitely want to remove before selling your device. Fortunately, Amazon makes this process quite easy with a quick trip to their website.

Step 2: Log in with your Amazon ID. Make sure the Amazon account you are logging in to is the same one that your Echo devices use.

Step 3: Select the Devices section from the menu at the top of the page. This will show you all your Amazon devices, including Echos, Kindles, and mobile devices connected to the Amazon network. Look for the Echo device you are planning to sell — it will have the name you chose for it. Select this device.

Step 4: Now, look below your list of devices, and you should see several options for managing the device you chose. First, choose Delete voice recordings to remove voice commands associated with this device from your account. Second, choose Deregister. This will remove the device from your account entirely, removing all remaining content from your Echo. Click past the warning, and your device will be deregistered.

Sell through Amazon’s trade-in program

The easiest way to sell your Echo is to return it to Amazon. Amazon manages its own refurbishment service and will be happy to buy back your Alexa device to eventually sell again — with a few caveats. Amazon’s program is specifically designed to help you pay for a new Echo device. You will get an Amazon gift card from the return, which you can use anywhere on Amazon, plus a 25% discount for any new, qualifying Echo device. This is specifically designed for upgrading to a new Echo, but you can ignore the built-in discount if you want, and use the gift card to help pay for your next Amazon order.

Step 1: Navigate to Amazon’s trade-in page (be prepared to sign in to your account). The first section will show you a list of Echo devices. Choose the Echo device you want to trade in. Note that Amazon isn’t accepting the newest Echo devices at this time, so this usually works best if you have one of the older models.

Step 2: Answer a couple of basic questions about your device to clarify if it works and if there are any external flaws.

Step 3: Amazon gives you a trade-in value, as well as two options in case they can’t offer the trade-in value upon inspection. If they inspect your Echo device and find it’s not in great condition, they can either offer you a lower price (at their discretion, usually down to as little as $5) or return it to you for free. Choose which option you would prefer if things don’t work out, then select Continue.

The downside of the trade-in program is that Amazon doesn’t offer high prices. If you want to maximize your sale, you need to seek out a third party buyer.

Sell through a third party website like Swappa

There are many third party websites that allow you to sell your electronics. For a reliable option that’s well-versed in Amazon devices, we recommend Swappa. You can often get a higher price for your device if you’re willing to work through this site.

Step 2: Create an account with Swappa and make sure Alexa is still fully functional. You can also see recent average selling prices, so make a note of these. You’ll need to input your PayPal email at this point so you can get paid, as Swappa only uses PayPal.

Step 3: Create a listing. Be ready with a basic description of the Echo’s condition and a few photos — this will help it sell more easily. You can set your price here. Make sure you stick close to the average, but drop a few bucks if you want to sell quickly.

Step 4: Wait for an offer. When you receive and accept an offer, you’ll be paid immediately. Ship the Echo to the address provided by the seller.